China confirms 21 dead, 1 missing after tug sinks in Yangtze

SHANGHAI, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Chinese authorities have
confirmed that 21 people were killed and one was missing after a
tug boat undergoing sea trials sank in the Yangtze River, the
state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

The 30-metre (98-ft) boat had 25 people on board when it
sank on Thursday, including eight foreigners - four
Singaporeans, an Indonesian, a Malaysian, an Indian and a
Japanese, it said.

Three people, all Chinese, had been rescued. All eight
foreigners died.

Sembcorp Marine Ltd, a Singapore-based
shipbuilder, said on Friday the tug boat that its subsidiary,
Jurong Marine Services Pte Ltd, had planned to charter sank
during a sea trial. Three of the company's employees were on
board.

Sembcorp Marine is part of Sembcorp Industries Ltd
, an industrial conglomerate with Singapore's state
investor Temasek Holdings being the biggest shareholder.

Xinhua said the 368-tonne boat was built by Anhui Bengbu
Shenzhou Machinery Co. Ltd. in October.
(Reporting by John Ruwitch; Additional reporting by Rujun Shen
in SINGAPORE; Editing by Nick Macfie)